the cottage until he had seen Seymour dismount at the door and go in without ceremony.

Seymour had found an excellent necessity for calling at Mr. Ellingham's. Finding a number of letters lying at the post-office for Mr. Thurston, he had judged it incumbent on him to ride over with them; and indeed, without this, he would have found it difficult to absent himself from a house where his services had been required daily for some time, and where he was always expected, and often waited for with anxiety.

Mr. Thurston was pacing the little garden with rapid steps, endeavoring to regain his wonted calmness, after a night of watchfulness and great distress of mind. Mrs. Thurston was now sleeping quietly, and her physicians were awaiting with solicitude the result of her repose.

"Thou art very kind," said Mr. Thurston, as he took the letters from the hand of his young friend; and from his lips these words were not words of course. As he read his letters, his countenance exhibited surprise and emotion. When he had finished, he said to Seymour that he wished immediately to send one of those letters to Mr. Hay. Seymour of course offered to be the bearer, and Mr. Thurston said,

"It is like thee, for thou art kind. Tell friend

Hay, please, that I am somewhat afraid of seeming intrusive, yet I feel as if I ought not to conceal from him the intelligence contained in this letter. If I am mistaken, I trust he will excuse me."

And Seymour departed, having seen Caroline only for an instant in passing.

He was scarcely out of sight of Mr. Ellingham's when he was joined by Avenard.

"Have you seen Miss Hay this morning?" asked the latter abruptly.

Seymour answered that he had just seen her, and he was vexed to think that, so indifferent as he was, he should have given these few words a flurried air. The sight of Avenard, he thought, seemed to cast a spell upon him.

"You seem to be a favored visitor!" said the stranger scornfully; "pray, may I ask by what right you intrude yourself upon Miss Hay at all hours?"

"When I know by what right you interfere with my movements," said Seymour in reply, "I may be disposed to answer such a question, - not till then certainly."

"Quite cavalier! well, sir! if I should inform you that I consider myself accepted by Miss Hay, you will think perhaps

"That is a matter with which I have no concern," said Seymour abruptly; "but my visits at Mr. Ellingham's have another object, and my visits to Miss Hay will be regulated by herself." And

he quickened his horse's pace as if to escape further discussion of a point which seemed likely to lead to no pleasant results. Indeed the stranger seemed, by the disorder and impetuosity of his manner, to have a desire to pick a quarrel, which Seymour was determined to avoid if possible, though his Western blood had been stirred not a little, by the Newyorker's impertinent air.

Before he reached Mr. Hay's, however, Avenard was again at his side, seeming hurried, as if to follow had been a recent thought.

"You are on your way to Mr. Hay's, I presume," said he, more civilly than before. "I wish to call on him, and I will trouble you to introduce me, as I have not the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with him. Miss Hay was not at liberty to leave her friend this morning."

Seymour bowed coldly, as if not well pleased with the office; but they presently found themselves at the gate.

Mr. Avenard was, as we have said, handsome and prepossessing; and though his manners lacked that quietness and retenue which bespeak a mind at ease, he pleased Mr. Hay exceedingly, and the old gentleman's scrutiny was by no means an indifferent one, since rumors of Caroline's "Newyork beau" had already reached his ears.

Seymour was ill at ease, and vexed with himself for being so; and he took the earliest opportunity to call Mr. Hay aside, to give him Mr. Thurston's letter, and the accompanying message, and to make his parting bow.

In the deep shade of the forest he endeavored to recover his wonted coolness, but in vain; and it was with a feeling of absolute despair that he for the first time owned to himself the interest with which Caroline, in her new character, as the angel of the house of mourning, had inspired him.

His hands abandoned the rein - he ceased to guide his horse, and he did not even notice that the animal had wandered, browsing, far from the beaten track, when he was recalled from a vortex of busy thoughts by a violent blow; and Avenard, his eyes flashing fire, his horse in a foam, and his whole appearance betokening complete distraction, stood beside him.

"Villain!" he shouted, "mean pitiful scoundrel! this is your indifference! you were too much of a coward to dare to avow your intentions, so you resorted to the expedient of undermining! You do not escape me!" And the madman drew a pistol before Seymour had collected his senses.

Seymour was unarmed of course, for honest men do not carry weapons in a peaceful land ; but with the instinct of self-defence he turned upon Avenard, and urged his horse forward with the spur. The animal was a heavy and powerful one, and easily rode down the other, which was of a lighter make, and Avenard, unhorsed by the unexpected shock, fell prostrate with the whole weight

of his own horse across his body. The pistol went off however, and the ball broke Seymour's bridle arm. He lost all consciousness, and sank forward, with his face on his horse's neck; upon which that wise beast took the well-known way to a good stable, and carried his master safely to Mr. Hay's gate.

We cannot report the extent to which our gay Newyorker may have been injured by this rough handling, for he quitted the country without any further effort to see Miss Hay. Mr. Thurston's letters had brought intelligence of one of those developments which too often close the career of city youths, who, unfortunately "born with the tastes of a duke without his income," find it convenient to borrow of those who have more money than they have the spirit to spend. Avenard had written somebody else's name by mistake, and received various sums of money thereupon, and he was now on his way to more congenial climes.

All that could be guessed of his intention in coming to this country was, the cruel and base design of persuading the innocent Caroline to share his exile, but we will hope he was not so utterly vile; though it may be doubted whether a person of his selfish and unprincipled habits is capable of any form of disinterested affection.